160 new cases of coronavirus as testing ramps up in Scotland

Scotland has had its highest number of daily coronavirus cases for more than three months.

A total of 160 new cases were confirmed yesterday.

But that represents 0.9% of all those who got checked for Covid-19 - after an increase in the number of tests being carried out.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it was "undoubtedly a concern" 

She sald "We saw quite high numbers of new cases not just today but over the weekend. 

"That is partly as a result of greater numbers of people being tested - the overall proportion of positive tests was still below 1% over the weekend, which I think is an important bit of context here for everybody to bear in mind.

"However, the numbers of cases we are seeing right now is a reminder to all of us that the virus is still a very real risk - it is a development that concerns me and it is one we are taking very seriously.

"We mustn’t lose sight of how important it is - if we are to keep schools open, build economic recovery and retain a bit more normality in our lives - that we do continue to suppress the virus, and push as close to elimination of it as we possibly can.

"But of course the flip side of that is that all of that gets harder the more we open up the economy and society - and it takes more of a conscious effort on the part of all of us as we open up to keep the virus under control.

"Sticking to the restrictions still in place - particularly on indoor activity - is absolutely essential, and I cannot stress that enough."

There have been 15 new cases in Fife in the last week - four of them were recorded yesterday.

But the majority were recorded in the central belt area with 69 in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 27 in Lanarkshire and 18 in Lothian.

Four more people are in intensive care with the virus across Scotland than were there a week ago.